NEW Yaesu FTM-350 2m/70cm with APRS

[Fetus]

Dave,

I'm guessing that with what they did with the VX-8R. Its arrival should be after the 1st of the year. That's my guess.

[DaveK]

James:

I called HRO to get a price, as instructed to do by their catalog. No luck. Not even a ball park idea.

It looks like your prediction on a January release will be about right.

[cruiserlarry]

James:

I called HRO to get a price, as instructed to do by their catalog. No luck. Not even a ball park idea.

It looks like your prediction on a January release will be about right.

I was told they are trying to have it available before Christmas. It will likely be less expensive than the Kenwood FT-D710A, but no official word yet. If it is like the VX8R release, it will come out about 3 months late...

[Fetus]

The brochure on the FTM 350 is in the Dec 2009 issue of QST.

There are a lot of neat features in this radio. I just may have to get one.

[DaveK]

This brochure says that it is 220 capable, but apparently with 1 (????) watt. Even at one watt, this will be the only mainstream mobile on the market today that can do 220. I think that there is a small company called Jetstream that also makes a 220 mobile.

[sdnative]

The Kenwood TH-6A can do 220 at 5W, but it's a HT.

Is the 220 band used very much? I don't think I have ever seen it being used.

[DaveK]

The 220 band has been largely ignored, mostly, IMO, because of the indifference of the major manufacturers to build a mobile rig that can tx on this band. At least in my area, it is used by community emergency communications groups because it is seldom used. And, since most hams do not have 220 capabilities, using it for emergencies lessens the risk of jammers.

There have been rumors that FCC might yank this band due to its inactivity. It would be a terrific frequency to use to avoid the busy and crowded conditions on 2m and 440.

[cruiserlarry]

This brochure says that it is 220 capable, but apparently with 1 (????) watt. Even at one watt, this will be the only mainstream mobile on the market today that can do 220. I think that there is a small company called Jetstream that also makes a 220 mobile.

Kenwood Tri-band Tm-x41 and newer TM-x42 series radios (TM-641, 642, 741, 742, 941, 942) were all capable of 220mhz operation with the module installed (the 641/2 included 220, while the others could have it as the 3rd band). While no longer available new, they are plentiful on the used market. I had one in my 80 for 10 years - it was a superb radio, and holds it's own, feature wise, with the newer radios available today.

IMO, the 220 band has been ignored by users, so manufacturers stopped equipping radios with the capability. Many handhelds can still access the 220 band, but with few open repeaters, and very little activity, it doesn't create a demand. In the past, there were many dedicated handhelds (same as with the 1.2g band, also now a little used band), but the popularity of 2m, to a lesser extent 440, and the limited and changing size of the allocated 220 band made it the least popular.

[DaveK]

It is true that the 220 band is relatively unused. That is both a blessing and a curse. Despite it's level of "activity", there are several repeaters in the South West that are available for open use. The Condor System is a good example, http://www.condor-connection.org/. The following is from their site:

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I know that in an area like SoCal, for local communications under 200 miles, many people would jump at the opportunity to access a band that was not as crowded as 2m or 440, especially with an all mode transceiver, (unfortunately, the 350 apparently is not). The one watt offered by the FTM-350, on 220, sure doesn't seem like a very serious offering. Maybe it's "tweakable".

So............Ollie, I think you should buy one and let us test it out.

[sdnative]

So............Ollie, I think you should buy one and let us test it out.

And sell me your 710